Singh also said there is no proposal to fill up the backlog vacancies of SCs, STs and OBCs with general category candidates.

The minister said "NO, sir" in a written reply to a question on whether the government has decided to increase the retirement age of central government employees from the present 60 to 62 years.

In another written submission, he said there is no proposal to fill up the backlog vacancies of SCs, STs and OBCs with general category.

He informed the House that around 1.75 lakh employees retire from the central government every year. The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare has launched an initiative on a pilot basis for 2000 pensioners to help in the individual in transiting smoothly to a post-retirement life.